Link, Roy and Zahra
by Zorganite
Summary: Link and Roy meet a slightly mysterious female character on their quest to kill a deadly trio, who murdered the daughter of Lupin III..... I added chapters 7 & 8... R&R!
1. Link and Roy: Prologue

Prologue

Two dark figures appear out of the trees surrounding the extravagant palace of Lupin the Third. 

"You guys lost or something?" The guard says, after he notices them. As they don't say anything back, he repeats himself. "Are you lost?" Getting a little worried, He wakes his friend, who was going to go on watch in another hour.

"Wha?-What is it?"

"Probley nuthin' but these two aren't sayin' nuthin'" He spoke in a barely understandable form of English. 

"So kill them." The other guard said, quite a bit more than half asleep.

"Aright" He got up and drew his sword, then decided to ask the question one more time. 

"Are you lost?" He said to the pair, which was now within 20 feet of him. Seeing as how there was no response, he drew his sword and yelled. Hoping to arise and alert the other guards.

"INTRUDERS! INTRUDERS!" His partner woke most of the way up when he heard him.

As he stood there, sword in hand. A slight buzzing sound came from one of the trees nearby. No time to react, the arrow hit his neck. Blood freely flowing from the wound, he fell to the ground dead, clutching his sword in one hand, the arrow in the other. 

Three more of these arrows flew from the same tree. Each hitting the seemingly intended target. 

As figure dropped from the tree and caught up with the other two, they spoke, the archer first.

"That's down to 16. I guess the rest are inside." It was a woman's voice.

"It seems so" The left of the other two spoke in a very deep, very coarse voice.

"We goin' in or what?" He spoke with the enthusiasm of a child bound for a candy shop.

They continued to the locked gate where one of the two swordsmen drew his sword and cut a hole in the fence large enough for them to walk through comfortably.

A guard they saw ran towards the door screaming wildly. He didn't get far, as one of them jumped in his way and promptly severed his head. 

"Five down" In the same childish enthusiastic voice.

They walked towards the door, only to be met by a shower of flaming arrows from the roof. All of which bounced off their helmet, shoulder armor or shield. The female archer swiftly returned fire, picking all four of them off with ease. 

"Nine down. I still haven't killed anyone!"

"Calm down, Z'amour!" The female spoke.

They continued to walk to the barred door, which also was no match for the saber of Z'amour.

As they walked inside, they were met with seven guards surrounding the door.

The female stayed outside for the battle, which was surprisingly quick. 

"Feria! It's safe."

"Thank you, Taolar. You too, Z'amour." They continued walking through the dark corridors and up the marble stairs until they were met by the other four guards. Unfortunately for them, they were on the other side of the hall. Easy targets for Feria. As she drew her bow, two of them vanished, leaving the others behind for the archer to finish. The three proceeded down the hall, over the corpses and into the main chamber. They quickly passed through the leftward door marked 'Xanthe'

The two disappearing guards from before stood by her bed, one on each side.

The young brunette dressed in gold had heard the door open, and was now sitting up screaming.

Feria futilely fired an arrow straight at her head, which was caught by the one on the right.

Taolar and Z'amour quickly attacked their corresponding guard. Taolar, the left. Z'amour, the right. Feria backed into the door while continuing to fire arrows, which the guards somehow managed to catch every time. Taolar and Z'amour kept trying to fight their way to Xanthe with no luck. 

Finally, as the two broke through in unison, they both got swords stuck in their arm.

Working through the pain, they fell, holding their swords out, hoping to get a bit of Xanthe, with no luck. Feria finally shot an arrow at each of the guards. Hitting both times. Then proceeded to take aim at the head of the young girl still screaming, seated on the bed. The arrow she fired had the names "Taolar, Z'amour and Feria" inscribed near the fletching for recognition.


	2. Link and Roy: Chapter One

Chapter One.

A loud clang was sounded as I; Link; blocked an oncoming attack from mercenary partner Roy.

"Nice, but you're gonna have to do better than that!" I said, after a pause.

"Better, you say?" Roy replied, after getting back to stance.

"Yeah, Better!"

As night fell upon the duel, we decided to return home, about a 2 mile walk from where we trained. On the way, a messenger arrived. He was a slightly large man, and his face was a jungle.

"A message for you, sirs" he said, with an unkempt voice.

"Ah, bring it here, please." I said, exchanging the letter in his hand for a blue rupee, which, at the time, was worth the equivalent of 5 American dollars. 

I opened it, and it read so:

To all mercenaries;

I am in dire need of your service. My daughter, Xanthe, has been murdered.

I am offering a reward of 2,000 gold rupees to whoever can capture, or kill, these men.

Either way as long as I see them here.

There were 3 of them. And they somehow managed to take out all 20 of my elite guards.

They seem to have a bounty, as well. So, in addition to my 2,000 rupees, you'll get another 500 from the police.

If you are willing to try, please come to the mansion of Lupin III.

"Is that all it says?" Roy asked.

"Messenger where-" He was gone.

"This is going to be fun!" Roy said, with the certain enthusiasm he gets when we're about to venture off.

"Well, let's try to find some info on this guy." I said, pointing then walking towards a nearby store. We entered, and began to talk to the owner, who was a tall, plain man.

"Have you heard of a man called Lupin?" I asked eager to start this quest.

"Depends"

"On what?" Roy said, hand on his sword.

"How much money you guys got." He said.

"Plenty!" I said, laying a red one on the table.

"Well, then, he lives about 30 miles from here. If you follow the path behind my shop, it goes past his mansion." He said, his eyes widened by the money on the table.

"Ah, thank you, good sir." Roy said, finally removing his hand from his sword casing.

We walked out, and begun towards our home.

"You know," Roy said, with a confused face.

"Yeah?" I replied, wanting to hear what he had to say

"Well, if… Ah, it's nothing."

"You sure?"

"Yes, yes, of course."

By the time we returned, it was completely dark. We both had a decent meal, and set off to bed. 

The following morning, we woke before the sun, ate, and set out on our horses, Epona and Lon. After about a half hour, we began to see footprints, as well as horse prints, from the other roads that joined this one. This was no surprise, as 2,000 gold rupees, was the equivalent of about 200,000 dollars.


	3. Link and Roy: Chapter Two

Chapter Two

It was getting dark, as we arrived. The guards at the door questioned us, and let us pass.

As we neared the house, a servant, wearing nothing but a tunic, greeted us.

"Good evening, sirs. You may proceed through the door, then along the hallway to your left, to join the others."

"Thank you." We said, as we dismounted, slipping him a few rupees. And he led our horses to what we assumed to be the stable. We proceeded as he said, through the door, then along the hallway to the left. When we entered the room, a circle of chairs and couches had been formed around a well lit furnace in the middle.

"Well, then. This must be our competition." I said to Roy, rather quietly.

"Ah, this should be interesting!"

We took a few on the opposite end of the room. Everything seemed silent. No one spoke; no one even uttered one single word.

Then, a moment or so after we sat down;

A loud boom, as the wooden doors crashed into the wall.

"Good evening, men. I assume all of you have come to begin the quest."

They all had, so he proceeded.

"I don't know anything about these men with the exception of their names."

He said, drawing a piece of paper.

"Taolar, Z'amour and their female, Feria." As it was normal for females to be owned, we didn't think anything of it.

"Shouldn't be too hard." I whispered to my partner, Roy. 

The next morning, we set out before but a few. A rocky trail scattered with trees was our chosen path. Two hours or so after we left, oddly enough in a rather large clearing. We met a man dressed in mining clothes with his face, except the mouth under the dark of his hood and the left arm was caked brown with dried blood. The area around us, of course, was a fairly good mining area. I also noticed he seemed to have a bag which he was being rather overprotective of.

"Good day, sirs." He said in a rather peculiar voice as he slowed his walk to a standstill.

"Yes, yes. It is a fine day, isn't it?" I said as my partner also sat rather still on his horse, Lon.

"Look, I've got some mining equipment I just got done with, you guys want it?" He said with a conspicuously smiling face.

"No, no. We're not miners, but one might wonder why you smile as you say that?" I said while eyeing his little pouch.

"Ah, yes, that would be the reason I'm selling my equipment. I've got enough platinum here to buy the king himself." He said, clutching it strongly.

"And why have you decided to tell us this?" Roy said, clearly devising a plan to steal it from him.

"I suppose I'm a man who likes to show off his good fortune." He said with a puzzled look on his face.

"Most men are. Listen, we've got to get moving now. Enjoy your kingly life, sir." I said then resuming the canter.

"Good day then, sirs" He said beginning to walk away.

As soon as we were out of earshot I asked "Did you get it?"

"Nah, I took pity on the man."

"You what? But I saw you! Just barely, but I did."

"I only took some of it."

"So then, how much?"

"Just this." He said, holding up a rather small, arrowhead sized piece

"Well that'll last us a while"

"Yeah, a few hundred years at least"

"If we live that long." The small red haired man was incredibly quick, so much barely anyone would notice his stealing the platinum, even from atop the horse. This quickness made him nearly invincible in sword-to-sword combat. I, however, haven't even come close to his speed, and can just barely notice him when he does things like stealing the platinum.

Just then we heard a sound as if someone were running up behind us.

"GIVE IT BACK!" He shouted as I turned my head to see who it was. Of course, it was the same miner we had met before.

"Give what back?" I replied calmly.

"THE" He paused for a few deep heaving breaths. "The platinum you stole you moron!"

"What platinum would this be?" I said, still rather calm.

"Maybe the platinum in that one's hand" He said, pointing at Roy, who swore insolently.

"Ah, yes, this. Was this yours?" Roy said beginning to lose his tranquility.

"Give it back!"

"What if I don't want to?"

"Then I'll kill you for it."

"You'll what?" He said, drawing his sword.

"You didn't hear me?" He already had his drawn

Roy jumped down off of his horse and stood, holding his sword in his right hand.

"Might I at least know the name of the man who wishes to kill me?" He said, regaining his serenity as he always did in battle.

"Who said anything about a man?" It was a woman's voice this time.

"I can't fight a lady!" Roy said with a rather confused look on his face

"Come on Roy! Don't' be such a gentleman."

"Yeah! Don't thing just because I'm a girl I can't fight." She said, lowering her hood to reveal a dirty, and yet still rather beautiful face, shoulder length beautiful blond hair and the most accentuating green eyes.

He stood there, gaping open-mouthed at her.

"Well?" She said, giving him a look that just said 'oh I'm so bored of this'.

"I guess, I guess lets fight!" He said, regaining his composure which was so abruptly lost.

"Not many would actually fight me sir, my being a lady and all." She said, eyeing him with a relatively odd look affection.

"I guess I'm not many then. Besides, didn't you say you wanted to fight?" About this point I noticed the now seemingly obvious attraction between them. But, of course, once you start a fight no matter how much you like the person, you just can't back down.

So, they both half-heartedly began the fight. A few overhand swings, blocks, the usual. Neither of them were straining themselves. They actually seemed rather equal, at least from this kind of a fight. 

Then I suppose Roy decided he was getting bored. That or he didn't like the chance that he might hurt this woman. So finally he struck her with the side of his blade and knocked her off balance. After a few seconds of trying to regain this stability, she, seemingly purposefully fell into toward him. His reaction was rather forced. He caught her in his arms. I couldn't really see very well from my angle, but from what I saw their faces moved closer and closer until they finally touched. At the lips, of course. They held their pose for a minute or two before I spoke up;

"Ok, I'm getting kind of bored. Could we move on?" They remained in their pose for another 10 seconds at best then slowly separated.

"You guys got half a minute before I ride off without you. I know you want her to come, let's just skip the chat and go!"

"Ah, yes. But we haven't got another horse?"

"I can ride with you." she said, obviously speaking to Roy. "But first, might I know your names?"

"Of course. I'm Roy, and this is Link." He said then pointing at me.

"Oh but, what about your platinum?" I said as they walked over to his horse. And as neither of them responded, I could tell what was going on in their heads.

"Love at first sight, huh?" I said trying to get them out of their trance, just as they walked by Lon without even noticing.

"What? Oh! Uh, I don't know." He said while it actually looked like he was blushing. No, that couldn't be. Roy? Blushing? I've known this man since my youngest days of childhood. I've never know him to care for a girl or woman at all other than a friend. And he had just met this one.

She laughed at those words, and we started to ride at a brisk trot. I could tell about now this would be a rather boring journey as my best friend would be more devoted to entertaining his new girlfriend than I. Not that I couldn't entertain myself you understand, it was just more interesting doing things with someone instead of alone.


	4. Link and Roy: Chapter Three

Chapter Three

I suppose it was about a half hour after nightfall before anything interesting happened, seeing as how their conversation was exceedingly boring to me.

An arrow came whizzing by my head, just hitting my ear, making me bleed slightly.

"You hear that?" I said gripping my ear in an attempt to stop the blood. "Well? Did you?" They were so immersed in each others eyes, and mouths, that they didn't even care to notice. 

"HEY! WAKE UP YOU TWO!" I shouted, startling them into breaking the kiss.

"What? Oh I fell asleep." He said, then yawning and stretching simultaneously.

"Oh yeah, me too."

"OK stop. We gotta fight this guy who shot the arrow at my head."

"What? Who?"

"The one over there behind that tree." I said pointing towards a tree slightly left of the path.

"I'll handle it. It's the least I could do for your letting me come along, sirs." She said quietly, dismounting and moving on extremely stealthy feet towards the tree at which I had pointed.

"Well this is interesting." I said as she drew her sword, her back to the tree.

"Yeah, it is." He said, still dreamy-eyed.

"Are you just gonna stare at her all day?"

"I suppose so. Why?"

"We've got better things to do."

"I haven't." I decided to leave it at that, as what she was doing was getting interesting. She slung her sword around the tree at neck height and brought it about 6 inches from the tree. 

"I can't believe that guy waited around that long." She then moved around, holding the sword steady and moving around the tree. She gave the man standing there a motherly lecture, then as he started to talk back to her. She quite suddenly pressed the sword against the tree. There was a low thud as the head fell in between their bodies and hit the ground. Then multiple others as the lifeless body collapsed to the ground. 

"You sure you want this one? I'd hate to see how she'd deal with her kids." I said as she started to walk back to us.

"Aren't you judging us rather quickly?" She was about halfway back now, and still out of earshot.

"Oh I'm sorry, but by the way you were kissing half the way her, I just didn't know what to think. You two seem rather serious." About three quarters, now just barely out.

"I suppose you're right" He said, smiling as she came back into clear view from the darkness.

"Well, that was fun!" She said as she hopped onto, oddly enough, my horse.

"Hey, um, I think your boyfriend would rather have you." Roy gave her a puzzled look.

"Yeah, I know." She sighed. "I suppose you're right." She dismounted and remounted, this time on Roy's horse.

It was about this time I realized I didn't know her name. 

"Say, what's your name?" I had decided just to end the silence.

"My name? Eh, well. My name is" she seemingly trailed off into deep thought for a second or two then spoke again

"My master never really gave me a name" She shrugged.

"Are you a slave?" Roy said, eyeing her strangely.

"I was."

"Well that's odd."

"Does this change anything?" She asked with a half questioning face, though I'm pretty sure she knew it didn't.

"Not that I'm aware of."

"Good!" It was after they had discussed this matter for another five minutes or so when we had finally reached a village large enough that it had an inn and a tavern. So we rode down the hill that leads to it, passed a few houses, stores and such. Tied up our horses on the outside and entered the front door. This, as soon as we were through, was broken through by a man who had been thrown by another. Quite an amusing thing, bar fights. 

The tavern's inside was actually a rather nice place, relatively new. Stone walls, wooden ceiling. Nothing spectacular, but it suited well for a few drinks. It was, quite conveniently directly connected with the inn at which we planned to stay for the night. 

We chose a table in the rear corner for various reasons. They wanted their privacy, I didn't like people much, and we didn't want anyone asking too many questions. Our newly acquired friend had a rather peculiar look on her face. As if she wasn't quite enjoying this.

"How about Zahra?" Roy said, breaking the ice of silence.

"For what?" I said curiously

"A name for my new companion here."

"Why don't you ask her?"

"I was."

"Oh. Sorry."

"So, what do you think? I've always been rather partial to that name myself."

"I love it!" She said, her face brightening up.

"Good! Then from now on you shall be known as Zahra."

"I've never had a name before." 

"Yes we know that." I decided to join the conversation. After that there was silence for a few moments as they stared deeply into each other's eyes, with me watching.

"So what's with the service around here? I haven't seen a single waiter or waitress all night." A nearby man must've overheard my saying that as he said "Ya gotta go to the bar to get whatcha want."

"Ah, ok. I will then. Thanks." I then turned back to the lost friends of mine. "You two want anything?" Nothing. "HELLO? You two want anything?" 

"Oh! Yeah, I'll just have a shot of vodka. And you, my dear?"

"Ohh" She blushed and giggled slightly. "I've never really been anywhere like this before. I'll just have whatever it is you're having." Her face was radiating with happiness, as was his.

"That's a little strong."

"Are you calling me weak?" 

"No! No!" I could tell he was fighting a smile, it was just a matter of if she could or not. I decided then to get our drinks.

On the way I almost got hit with a flying beer mug. A rowdy place, this tavern. 

I noticed the bartender had a so called 'blue gold' medallion around his neck. 

"Nice pendant. What's that on it?"

"A fox" He replied, thinking nothing of it.

"Ok then. Anyway, I'll have a pint of your best stuff. And my friends will each have a shot."

"Of what?"

"Vodka" The man walked around the bar a bit, finding the Vodka and what he had decided to give me.

"Here you go. That'll be ten for the pint, and five each shot."

"TEN?" I replied in disbelief

"Yes, ten. Now buy it!" I handed him the two yellow rupees needed to pay and started walking away.

"Taxes!"

"Huh?"

"You forgot to pay taxes! Two rupees, please."

"AHH! Fine." I tossed him two green over the table, which he caught one in each hand.

"Thank you." he shook his head as if I were some kind of fool. 

As I sat down and slid them their drinks, I noticed my two friend's faces were unusually far apart. 

"You two fighting already?"

"Why would you say that?" Zahra said, looking puzzled.

"You're not kissing."

"So?"

"I've always had to yell at you to make you stop. And now, you're just not. Without my yelling."

"Must we all the time? It is an enjoyable activity, but still." Roy decided to jump into the conversation.

"Well I guess if you don't want to, I'm not going to force you into it."

"Good."

The evening from that point on was rather eventless. At least until we went to the inn for a room.

As we walked through the dimly lit passage that took us from one building to the next, there was a man lying on the floor covered in a wool blanket, asleep. I, in particular, tried to be quiet going past the man. I'm not even sure they noticed. 

As we passed through the small wooden door to the inn, the light grew much brighter. Roy and Zahra walked to the counter as I sat on a rather disgusting wood bench.

"I'd like three rooms, please."

"Two!" Zahra said, smiling.

"Two? But there are three of us. Only one bed per room, dear."

"I know. That's the point."

"Three rooms, please." Zahra sighed when she heard this, and struck him playfully. 

"That'll be twenty five each." Roy took out three reds, a yellow and a blue to pay for this. Handed them to the lady, and took the keys she held out after that."

"You'll be in the three rooms at the end of the hall over there." She pointed to the hallway.

"Thank you." They walked back to where I was sitting, tossed me a key, and we walked to our rooms.


	5. Link and Roy: Chapter Four

Chapter Four

As we sat in my room seated in the chairs from our own, a tap on the window alerted us.

"What was that?" I said, standing up.

"How are we supposed to know?" Zahra replied, staying seated.

I heard another, and walked to the window, opening the blinds. 

"We're on the second floor?" I didn't realize this until now. 

"I wasn't aware." Roy said, looking curiously at the rooftops out the window.

I then noticed two men dressed in black throwing pebbles at our window, apparently to get our attention. As I opened it, I got hit on the forehead.

"Nice aim!" I shouted down to them.

"Sir! We must speak with you!"

"Come on up, then!"

"Thank you!" As they proceeded to the front door of the inn I closed the blinds and sat back down.

"What did they want?" Roy said curiously.

"To talk to us."

"What did you tell them?" 

"I told them to come on up."

"What if they wanted to kill us?" Zahra said oddly frightfully.

"We can take them, don't worry." She didn't seem very relieved.

Then we hard three rhythmic knocks on the door.

"Who is it?" I said thinking I knew who it was.

"The stone throwers" The voice of one of the men outside said.

"Come on in" I heard the door handle click, and the door swung open. 

The two men were dressed in the clothes of a ninja. Black full body suit, covering their head except for a small slit for their eyes and a hole for the mouth. Zahra turned her chair around and faced the window, staring intently at it.

"Sorry we don't have any more chairs" I said, then noticing both of them had an arm of their suit brown instead of black.

"What's with the blood?" I guessed that's what it was, as ninjas often fought.

"We are ninjas, after all."

"Of course. Now tell me please, why do you wish to speak with us?" My two companions just sat there rather quietly.

"New information for you. On the murderers."

"How much will that be?"

"Please! We do not wish for pay."

"Alright then. Whatcha got?"

"The three went north to city of Harsen."

"How can you be sure?" Roy finally spoke

"We have our ways."

"Well, thank you very much. Are you sure you want nothing?" Roy asked hoping they'd allow us to pay them back.

"I didn't say we wanted noting. Just that we didn't want pay."

"How else shall we return the favor?" As he spoke this I noticed Zahra being amazingly quiet.

"Give us a room. Just for the night."

"Just one?" I rejoined the conversation

"Just one."

"Is this information going to anyone besides us? Has it already?"

"I told two others, who were working together."

"That's not too bad." I shrugged, looking at them. "Alright, I'll go see if they have anything left."

"Thank you, sir!" I stood up and walked out the door, through the wooden hall and into the open room.

"I need a room, ma'am!"

"That'll be seventy five, sir." 

"Seventy five? What? It was only twenty five earlier!"

"I have to charge out late rate" She said the words 'late rate' as if it were something she had just made up.

"I haven't got time to argue, ma'am, fifty."

"Done!" I tossed two red and one gold rupees on to the table and slid them over to her as she tossed me the key. 

"Right next to your room, sir."

"Ah, thank you." I wasn't sure I liked that very much, and it showed.

"Here you go." I said, tossing them the key as I walked in the door.

"What room is this to?" 

"The one next to mine."

"Thank you, sir. We'll be off now."

"Won't you stay with us?"

"No, We're awful tiered." 

"Ok then, goodnight. But tell me, why doesn't he talk?" I pointed at the silent one.

"I can talk. I talk through him."

"What?"

"We're twins. Telepathic, kind of." "Yes, yes. We are."

"Oh. So then half the stuff he says is from you?"

"More or less."

"Ok." They walked out the door without saying another word.

"That was interesting." I said, sitting back in my chair.

"It was." Zahra said, still looking intently at the window.

"You love that window, don't you?"

"What? Oh, yes."

"I'm going to bed." Roy kissed Zahra and walked towards the door.

"Goodnight." We said in unison.

"I'm gonna go take a bath. You know where they are in this place?"

"Not a clue." She stood up and walked towards the door.

"Aren't you gonna help me find them?"

"What?"

"It's not like I'm asking you to come in with me."

"I suppose not." I got up and followed her out the door.

As we walked down the long dim wooden corridor towards the main chamber, we started talking.

"What's it like?" She looked up at me curiously.

"What's what like?"

"Being a mercenary and all"

"It's interesting, to say the least."

"Do you like it?"

"Most of the time, except when we're living in poor houses."

"That sounds awful!"

"Yeah. Wait, you were a slave right? I wouldn't think you knew anything else?"

"I don't. I was just sympathizing, even though I've been through it" She said rather awkwardly, as though she didn't really know what she was saying.

"I see."

We then approached the desk where the lady was still sitting, polishing her glasses.

"Excuse me, Where are the bath houses?" 

"Ladies' through the door to your left, Men's the right."

"Thank you."

"You're not allowed in there, by the way."

"What? Oh! I wasn't going in there."

"Of course you weren't." She said that in a rather sarcastic tone.

"I'll be going to bed." I said, starting to walk away."

"Goodnight."

"'Night." I walked back to my room and laid down for the night.


	6. Link and Roy: Chapter Five

Chapter Five  
"Roy? Roy! Wake up!" The sun was still an hour or so to come up, as I was waking up my friend.

"What?"

"Wake up!"

"Ok." He nestled his head back on the pillow and drifted back asleep.

"You're gonna go wake up your friend, I wouldn't dare go in there."

"Fine, fine." He slid the covers off and stood up.

"I'll be in my room." We both knew what I would be doing; writing. I kept a journal every morning of what we had done the day before.

"Alright."

"Don't be going back to sleep now." I walked out the door and back to my room.

I heard a few knocks on the door of room in between mine and his, some repetition of the phrases 'I need my sleep!' and 'We have to go!'. It was a less-than-serious argument, as Roy was strangely good at that sort of thing, and Zahra seemed to know that.

"Link1 Can you come help me?" Came clearly through the wall.

"Sure, just a second." I finished the line and walked to her room.

"What do you need?"

"She won't get up!" Zahra was completely hidden underneath the covers.

"Come on, we're gonna leave without you!"

"No! You can't!"

"Then get up!"

"But it's too early! The sun's not even up yet!"

"That's how we live. If you plan on staying with us, you best get used to it."

"But.." She paused "Ok, ok. I'll get up. But you two have to leave."

"If you wish." Roy rejoined the battle, curiously just at the end.

"Go on! Leave!" She kept herself completely covered until we were out of the room, and had closed the door.

"I hope she isn't like this when we're sleeping in the woods."

"As do I."

"What do you think we're going to do when we fight?"

"What do you mean?"

"We can't concentrate on winning when we're saving someone, can we?"

"I suppose we'll have to teach her to fight?"

"She has the basics, remember when you two were fooling around? When we just met her?" Roy smiled at that.

"Yeah, but she still needs training."

"Are you volunteering?" 

"I suppose so."

"I thought you might."

We stood in silence, listening to the muffled sounds coming from Zahra's room.

"Almost ready." 

"Take your time." Roy said, trying to be polite.

"Really?"

"NO!" I screamed before he could answer.

"Fine." The door handle clicking told me she was coming out.

"Are you still wearing those same clothes?" Roy asked, as she was still dressed in the mining clothes the day before. 

"It's all I've got."

"We'll get you something."

"Oh no, don't worry, I'll be fine."

"No no, I insist." He nudged me with his elbow

"Oh, and so do I."

"If you wish." She was trying to sound polite, but I at least could tell the happiness in her voice.

We then walked through the long hall, out the door, and into the raining streets of the village.

"Where will we be going?" Zahra asked, walking between Roy and I.

"Harsen, of course."

"But I thought-?"

"They're not open at this hour." I interrupted her.

"Oh, right." She sounded quite disappointed.

"You must get yourself a horse." Roy finally spoke up as we neared where we had tied our horses the night before.

"Why? Why can't I ride with you?"

"Lon will get tired, then we'll all have to ride on Epona, until she gets tired."

"I see."

"I suppose we'll have to get a map, and find a ranch around here." I joined the conversation.

"Yes, we will."

"I get to pick it out, right?"

"Yes yes, of course."

"Good."

As we mounted, Two on Lon, one on Epona. I thought to myself, then spoke up.

"Where are we gonna get a map?"

"Town hall, I'd guess."

"Oh yeah, of course. Let's get moving, then."

And we did. Stopping only for the map, we proceeded directly north and out of the small wooden village. 


	7. Link and Roy: Chapter Six

Chapter Six

The trees covering any sign of light on the forest floor wasn't exactly helpful. Each horse had it's share of stumbles. We ran into a few trees, actually. Not pleasant. 

The light flowed soundlessly across the tops of the trees as the sun raised over the horizon to the right.

"Finally!" I said as the ground grew to nearly half the usual light.

"Still not very bright." Roy replied as his horse stepped over a log he would have tripped on before.

"Better than before." I said, distracted by the beauty sleeping behind him. As she had bathed, and was hooded before, I hadn't noticed. 

"Look behind you." I added.

He did

"I don't see anything." I kept my eyes on her.

"At the person behind you." He turned his body half way, and his head the rest.

"Stop staring at her like that!"

"Like what?"

"Like that! She's mine!" He raised his voice a little.

"Don't you know me well enough to know I wouldn't steal her from you?"

"I guess so."

"You guess so? We've been best friends all out lives!"

"Fine, I know you wouldn't even try. Not like you could, anyway." It had always been this way. In public, he seemed much more respectable and reserved. In private, not so.

"We'll see about that." I laughed.

As it slowly got brighter and brighter, and I couldn't stop looking, I noticed certain things to say Zahra wasn't asleep.

"How long have you been awake?" I asked, looking at her.

She was leaning against my partner's back, either looking at the ground, or with her eyes closed.

"Haven't slept this whole time." She looked up at me with her dazzling emerald eyes.

"Oh." I was a little embarrassed at the fact she had heard our conversation earlier.

Just then I heard the sound of hooves closing fast behind us. 

A man in a blue cape riding a black horse rode by at full speed. 

"What was that about?" Zahra asked, as she was new to this sort of thing.

"Just some guy. Actually I've seen him before, talked to him a few times too." I said breaking my view willingly from his trail, to her.

"He was handsome." Roy looked back at her.

"What? How could you tell?"

"Uh, I looked at him?"

"I could barely see him?"

"Of course_ you _couldn't."

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing." She looked as though she had said something she didn't mean to.

"You sure?"

"Yes."

Silence held ground as we rode the fairly straight paths to the ranch called 'Dusty Trails'. I knew nothing about it, as I had simply picked it as the nearest to where we were.

"Before we go in, who's paying for this thing?" Zahra looked at Roy

"Don't look at me."

"Fine, I'll pay for him."

"You want a boy, then?"

"Naturally."

"What about you girls and your little pink ponies?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh, right." I remembered the title of her past; slave.

"Well?"

"Normally the female types are interested in such things as horses, princesses, the color pink." The voice of an elderly man came from behind a nearby tree.

"Who's there?" I looked at the tree as I said this.

"No need to be alarmed." He stepped into the light. As Zahra saw him she put her hood up to hide her face.

"Who are you?" Roy asked.

"No one in particular."

"Ok, what do you want?"

"I'm a ranch hand, sir."

"Oh! Good."

"What business have you here?"

"The lady wishes to purchase a horse."  Roy spoke up for her.

"Oh she does, does she?"

"Yes, I do."

"Follow me." He lead us through tall wooden gate, into the surrounding fences, and into a large two story house located somewhere near the middle.

"You might want to talk to this man." He pointed.

"Thank you" 

"I want a horse." Zahra walked up to him ahead of either of us.

"What kind of horse?"

"A black one"

"No, I mean what kind? A fast horse? Work horse?" She looked to us.

"Somewhere in the middle is what I've found best." Roy advised.

"Somewhere in the middle it is, then."

"Alright. Follow me." He took her outside, with my partner and I trailing behind.

"Now I've noticed you're not too smart In the ways of horses, so I'm gonna dumb this down for you."

"That should help."

"We've got three black horses."

"Ok." They continued walking and he pointed them out to her.

"This one, slightly smaller, which I would advise for you. This one, is a bit larger, you wouldn't have too much trouble with him. Ah but now, we have the largest steed here. I'm not even going to let you go near him."

"I'll survive."

"So which one do you want?"

"Hmm" she thought for a minute "Do they have names?"

"No, we leave that to the customers." 

"Will either of them be able to keep up with those two?" She pointed at Epona and Lon, our two brown horses.

"The smaller could keep up, but probably not win in a race. The other could race them fine."

"I want that one."

"Which one?"

"The racing one." As Roy heard this he hung and shook his head.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. He's beautiful, and faster."

"If that's how you pick 'em."

"How much will that be?"

"Two thousand" Zahra opened her pouch and looked disappointed.

"I've only got four." She had four fist sized pieces of platinum, each worth about fifty thousand rupees each.

"Four what?"

"Of these" She showed him the insides of the bag.

"Whoa!" He stammered backwards.

"You've got plenty enough, ma'am." His tone changed as he found she was a rather rich woman.

"But you said two thousand?"

"I'll settle for four, since you're such a beauty" It was easy for anyone but her, blinded by the compliment, to see how he was charging quite a bit higher, not lower.

"You're so kind!" She handed him the bag.

"I'll even throw in everything you'll need to ride."

"I'm amazed!" I pulled out my bow.

He took the bag and walked toward the stone house.

I took an arrow out of my quiver, aimed, and shot the bag right out of his hand, the arrow sticking in a nearby fence, with the pouch still hanging from it.

"What kind of an idiot are you?" I yelled at Zahra.

"What do you mean?"

"He just took enough money to buy every horse here!"

"But he"

"But nothing! I don't see you'll be needing that money anymore."

"That's my money!" The man said after standing stunned for a few seconds.

"No, that's my money." He ran towards me.

"You really wanna fight?"

He took a barely aimed swing at my head, I ducked, and hit him on the back with the side of my sword.

"That wasn't too hard." I said as he fell onto the ground.

"You're fast.."

"Just think if Roy here had been doing it." I dropped rock onto his head to knock him unconscious.

"Lets go get the stuff we'll need." I said as I picked up the route back to the house.

"What about him?" Zahra asked.

"What _about _him?"

We got everything we needed, mounted Zahra on her new horse and rode out.


	8. Link and Roy: Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

"I just realized" I said, as it were about half an hour after our little encounter.

"What?"  Zahra and Roy asked.

"We-" I paused.

"What?" they asked again.

"We left the platinum back at the ranch." Even the thought put an anguished face on them.

"We can't go back now; surely the place will be swarming with police." Zahra spoke up alone this time.

"I can. They wouldn't even notice me." Roy seemed to be showing off a little.

"And even if they did, who could catch you?" I said, knowing how hard it was.

"Is he really that fast?"

"Yes."

We rode back in silence until we neared the ranch known as Dusty Trails. By this time, it was getting rather dark.

Hidden behind a tree, we looked around for any sign of the little bag.

"There it is!" Zahra said, pointing at a random point in the distance.

"How can you tell?" I asked

"Can't you see it?"

"No."

"It's on that fence. See that path behind the house? It's still stuck."

"They missed it?" I laughed at the inconsistence of the police.

"It seems so." Roy spoke up "I'll go get it, then." He added.

"Good luck." Zahra said as if she knew he couldn't.

"What's that supposed to mean?" He asked

"Well, do you see that man on top of the chimney?"

"Yes. What's your point?"

"He's a seeker. They have very sharp eyes."

"And your point is?" I rejoined the conversation

"He'll spot him in a second, and have all their best men after him."

"He can get away."

"But we can't."

"Just go get it, Roy."

"Alright." He dashed in from behind tree to behind tree, moving at lightning fast speeds I could barely see.

"How do you know so much about them?"

"Well, you know…"

"No, I don't know." I paused "Is there something you're not telling us?"

"Well…"

"What?"

"I'm not exactly a slave."

"What are you, then?

"More of an assistant, really."

"Whom do you assist?"

"Master Lupin" She said cautiously

"And what do you assist him with?"

"Well, you know he used to be a master thief, right?"

"Yes."

"The only reason he's not anymore is because…"

"Why?"

"He never gets caught."

"So what place do you have in this?"

"I'm why he never gets caught."

"How do you accomplish this?"

"Well, I go with him, point every trap and alarm out to him, he steals it and we go home. That's pretty much how it works."

"Why did you not tell us?"

"Would you really let a thief with you?"

"I guess not"

"I'm back!" Roy whispered as he returned.

"Did you get it?" I asked

"Of course I did. But we've got to leave before the seeker notices."

"Ok."

We mounted and rode off into the night.

"We still haven't gotten proper clothes for me." Zahra said as we rode toward the small amount of light coming from a nearby town.

"Who said anything about proper?" Roy said only half joking.

"Well, I assumed it would be"

"Do you wish it that way?"

"I'm not sure."

"Well, make up your mind."

"I will."

As we rode into the town, all the lights off in the stores, you could see the happiness melt from Zahra's face.

"They're all closed." She said sadly.

"Well of course." Roy said obviously without looking at her first.

"Don't worry, we'll get you something tomorrow. It's not as if getting it tonight would do any good anyway." I said sympathetically.

"I guess you're right." She sighed

"Either of you guys see somewhere to stay?" I asked

"It seems just houses and shops." Roy said vacantly

"I guess we'll have to sleep out in the woods." I suggested

"Seems so." Roy still had a tone to his voice as though he weren't paying any attention.

"How will you handle this, Zahra?" I asked

"Fine, I guess."

"Good."

We rode through, tied our horses to trees, and set up camp. As we were cooking dinner Zahra rather abruptly spoke up.

"I'm not a slave." She said, directing it more at Roy than at me.

"What are you?" Roy asked calmly

"A thief" She said not knowing what to expect.

"What kind?" 

She explained her past works to him as I sat silently staring into the fire.

"That explains a lot."

"It does?"

"Yes it does. First you're a miner, then a slave, then a kind of a seeker." She giggled at his sarcasm.

"I guess I'm just multi-talented."

"I guess so. Anyway, I'm tired. I'm going to sleep." 

"Goodnight." She said, blowing him a kiss.

"Night" He laid down on the ground and pulled his wool cover over himself.

"I guess it's just you and me" I said, not breaking my view of the fire.

"Not for long"

"Why do you say that?"

"I'm as tired as he was"

"So go to sleep?"

"I will. But I have something I'd like to talk to you about first." I got understandably suspicious when she said this. 

"What's that?"

"Well, how many people have you killed?"

"Not too many"

"How many of these did you kill with you as the aggressor?"

"None"

"So they were all in self defense?"

"Yes. What does this have to do with anything?"

"I…" She hesitated "I killed them."

"Killed who?"

"The two ninjas at the inn" That shocked me rather well

"Why?" Was all I could think of to say.

"They knew who I was"

"That gives you no right to kill them."

"I couldn't have them find me."

"Then it was in self defense."

"How?"

"You saved yourself."

"If only it were that easy to believe." She stood up and walked over to her makeshift bed.

"Goodnight." I said as I went to mine

"Sweet dreams." I heard as I laid down.


	9. Link and Roy: Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight (WIP)

The sound of a rooster crowing that morning startled me as it woke me up. I mumbled and sat up, still covered.

"What's going on?" I said as I noticed at least a hundred villagers surrounding me with pitchforks and torches, classic peasant revolt.

A man walked up close to me and poked me with the prongs of his pitchfork.

"Hey!" I said as he dug into the bare skin on my arm, causing it to bleed slightly.

"Who are you?" He said as if afraid of me, but knowing to have the advantage.

"Uh, I'm Link." I said wondering who had put them up to this.

"What are you doing in our village?"

"Passing through." I looked around and didn't see any sign of either of my two companions.

"Where have you taken them?" I asked, letting a hint of anger show in my voice.

"They're safe" He said taking the pitchfork away from my arm, sticking it into the ground and leaning on the pole.

"Where?" I raised my voice and showed more of the anger

"You'll be with them soon enough." He said as he beckoned me to get up.

"Where are you taking me?" I calmed down some at hearing I would be with them.

"You'll see soon enough." He said as I stood up and walked along behind him, still surrounded.

I walked with the men back down into the village and towards a small outhouse sized building near the middle.

"And what is this?" I asked looking at the old wooden shack

"Your new home, Link"

"You've got to be kidding!"

"I'm not. Your friends are in there too." A man stepped from behind me an opened the door.

"I don't see them."

"They're in there" I stepped forward and he pushed me the rest of the way until I was standing an inch from the door.

"Well, go on in then!" he said as he prodded me with his pitchfork, making me leap forward and fall down into the covered hole. After falling about 10 feet I smashed into the ground with a deep thud.

"Why am I being held?" I screamed up as he closed the door.

"Link!" I heard a female voice from one of the darker corners of the room.

"Zahra?"

"So good of you to join us" It was unmistakably Roy's voice coming from the other corner.

"And Roy too, it's a party" I said sarcastically

"Do you still have any of your weapons?" Roy asked

"I still have my sword. What do you have?"

"I have some daggers they didn't manage to find."

"And what about you, Zahra?"

"I don't carry any weapons"

"Ok, this is going to be interesting"

We, together, formulated a plan of escape. We figured they'd have to let us out sometime, right? And seeing as how the walls were crumbling dirt, climbing it without caving the place in wasn't going to be easy.

Even with my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I never noticed any changes in the amount of light coming through the cracks in the wooden door in the countless hours we were down there.

"So you've caught them, have you?" We heard a voice coming from the world above.

"Yes, I have" Another voice answered.

"Let's see then" The door opened and a ladder fell down.

"Come on up" Zahra moved quickly towards the ladder, Roy was just standing up and I stayed seated in the corner.

"Why?" Zahra stopped when she heard me ask this.

"Aren't you hungry?" He asked as though he were actually going to feed us.

"Play along, wait for my signal." I whispered to the two who now moved toward the rope ladder.

Zahra got out first and was quickly snatched by two guards, one on either side.

Roy next, being taken by the same number in the same positions.

I last, also two, also on the sides.

"Are we going to eat these guards?" My question was ignored.

"Well?" The jailer asked the man standing next to him.

"Let me talk to you in private" he took his shoulder and walked toward a nearby house which they entered.

I, seizing the opportunity, gave the signal by kicking a stone into a tree nearby.

Roy simply half flipped and kicked the guards detaining him in the face, knocking them both out instantly. Zahra's jaw dropped when she saw him do this.

I, on the other hand, slid my right arm out of grip and hit the guard on the left in the face, freeing that arm which quickly to knock the other guard unconscious

About the time this was over, the guards holding Zahra realized they should do something. They chose to Run towards Roy an I with drawn swords.

"Go get the weapons!" I yelled at Roy, as we had left them in the dirt-locked prison cell.

He dashed towards it, jumped down the hole and was back up before they got to me.

I quickly jumped over the guards and dashed to my precious sword. Picking it up and lunging at them holding out for them to be impaled upon. I stopped about ten feet from them.

"You sure you want to do this?" I asked them out of politeness. They of course ignored me and the one on the left swung high as the right swung low, I hopped back a foot and held my sword out, tip down, for them to hit. I didn't position it low enough and sadly the lower swing went straight into the unprotected waist of the other guard.

He pulled his blood coated sword out and took another swing at me, which I blocked and smacked his head with the flat of my sword.

"Poor guys" Zahra said, still standing in the same place, her hands slightly out from her thighs.

"Roy, go get your sword" I yelled to him, and he quickly dashed toward where the two men had walked off to, presumably to 'ask' them where it is, more with his fists than with words.

I noticed another six armored soldiers walking down the road we had come down days before.

"Hurry up Roy!" I yelled in the direction he had ran off to

"Just a second!" I heard muffled screams. Seconds later I saw my partner emerging from the front door of the house they were behind.

"Got it!" He said as he jumped down the stairs.

"Look" I said, pointing at the soldiers now running towards us.

"Great, Takkinites" He sighed

"At least they'll be worn out by the time they get to us"

"Yeah. Hey Zahra, can you go find out horses?"

"Sure" She started walking around the village looking in the houses as if she had no idea what she was doing.

The soldiers, surprisingly enough, completely ignored us and headed straight for Zahra, running straight past us.

"That's strange enough" Roy said turning around and running towards them. I quickly joined him.

Roy, of course, got there first, jump kicking the rear left Takkinite in the head, knocking him on the ground unconscious. I quickly joined with my sword, denting the side of the rear right one's helmet. The rest turned around and drew their swords

Next, the second row. Roy was already on top of that as the repeating sound of steel against steel signified a swordfight going on between him and the two on the left.

I pulled out my bow and quickly hit the left leg of one of the two charging at me, sending him to the ground, bleeding and screaming through his mask of bronze. Next, I quickly blocked the overhand swing and put a nice gash through the arm of the one of my attackers left standing, who was now joining the other in writhing and screaming.

Noticing a slight break in the battle, I quickly joined Roy in fighting the two he had previously been taking himself. I joined with the smashing of the flat of my sword against the armor on the back of one of them, who retaliated by swinging sideways at my gut. Which I threw back, knocking him off balance, this opportunity couldn't be missed, I took an overhand swing at his head, knocking him to the ground, the sound of his armor clinking together ringing in my ears.

By the time I was finished, Roy was leaning on his sword watching Zahra ride towards us on her unnamed horse, tied to Epona and Lon.

We hopped on, made sure we had everything and rode out of the town quickly.


	10. Link and Roy: Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

"You've really got to teach her to fight" I said to Roy as we were riding away.

"I know" He replied blandly

"That's it? You know? Are you going to?"

"Of course I am. It's just a matter of when…"

"You'd better do it fast, or she'll get killed pretty quickly."

"I suppose your right. Next stop I'll give her a lesson"

"Good, thank you."

"You're welcome"

"I'm hungry!" Zahra said, sounding rather spoiled as she pulled in between Roy and I.

"What do you want us to do about it?" I asked, wondering why she was acting that way.

"Don't you have any food?"

"Afraid not, love" Roy said glancing back at her

"Hmph" I, and probably Roy, wondered why she was acting like a spoiled child, but we blew it off, I at least thinking it was just "one of those girl things".

""Where are we going, anyway?" she asked half an hour later

"We're still headed up to Harsen, I believe" Roy replied, I stayed silent.

"How far is it?"

"Another few hundred miles, we've got a few days left, averaging about 10 miles an hour."

"Is Harsen a big city?"

"Fairly so, it's on the river so it's good for trade" I remained speechless.

"Good."

"Why is that?"

"I…" she stuttered "I… I've… I've never been to a big city before" She sped up as she said that as if she weren't saying the whole truth

"Well then this should be fun" Roy said not seeming to recognize it as I did.

An hour passed with complete silence other than the wind rustling the leaves in the trees and our horses' hooves against the ground.

"I see you've got yourself a fine bodyguard" A chuckling voice came from above

"Who's there?" Zahra was panicking slightly and in whichever direction she looked, she leaned slightly in the opposite.

"Marth?" Roy knew who it was, apparently.

"Yep" I saw a multi-shaded blue figure drop onto the ground 20 feet in front of us.

"It's been so long," Roy said after a brief pause

"Almost 10 years, yep, that's a while" Zahra and I just sat and let them talk for a bit.

"Roy, I believe you should introduce us" I said, finally getting bored of their endless chatter about their childhood.

"Ah yes, sorry about that"

"Quite alright"

"Anyway, this is Link, my partner, and this is Zahra, and I'm not exactly sure what I'd call her" She shot him a strange look as Marth waved at us.

"Marth and I were childhood friends" He continued. I looked at Zahra and we both said "We can tell"

"I'm gonna go get my horse" Marth started walking back into the woods

"You still have Brute?" Roy asked

"Yeah, if I wanted to be outrun by snails" he laughed

Roy looked at me to see my quizzical face

"Don't hate him, do you?" He asked, looking rather concerned

"No, it's just, well, how long will he be with us?"

"I don't know, I'll ask him when he get back"

"I've only got about a week" Marth's voice came from behind

"That'll be fine, then" I whispered to Roy as I turned my head

"Too short, old friend" Roy said, nodding to me as he walked back to his horse, which he mounted.

"So where were you guys headed?" Marth asked as he caught up to us

"We're headed up to Harsen, to catch a huge sum" I decided I should try to join their conversations

"What do you mean?"

"We're freelance mercenaries, didn't Roy tell you?"

"Well yeah but I've heard things have been running a little slow in your world, recently."

"They have, we just got lucky on this"

"Mind if I join you for the time I'm around?"

"Can you fight?"

"With Roy as a friend, if you want to live, you have to be able to fight" He replied laughing

"Well then not at all" I said half-heartedly, knowing he might be helpful if and when we had to fight the bloody trio.

"Let's get moving!" Zahra said loudly after a five second pause.

"Alright, alright" Roy said hastily as he kicked his horse to set it moving. We all did the same and soon were off moving along speedily.

The endless sound of Roy and Marth chatting away echoed in my ears, even when they briefly stopped.

"This is going to be an annoying week" I whispered to myself.

Zahra and I drifted back, not far enough to where we couldn't see them, just far enough to where we couldn't hear what they were saying too well.

"How long before they fight?" I asked, turning my face to her and keeping my eyes on them.

"I'll give 'em another hour, at most"

"That's all? I think they'll last today" I turned my eyes to see her vacantly watching the trees go by slowly.

"Okay, two" She said realizing I was probably a bit more accurate than her.

"You can't just change your bet in the middle of it!" I said in that this-should-be-obvious tone.

"I can and I just did!" She said in the same way.

"Well fine then, I'm gonna win anyway"

"In your dreams" she said as she turned her head away, returning to her vacant staring.

As the light surrounding us slowly shaded darker and darker, we began looking for a suitable spot to sleep for the night.

"How about over there?" Marth pointed to a semi-circular clearing with a slowly trickling spring off to one side.

"Looks good to me" I said, growing fond of the trickling water, going off into a two inch wide creek.

"I don't like it" Zahra spoke up stubbornly

"Then sleep somewhere else" I said, getting annoyed.

"Maybe I will" she said, as if that were supposed to offend me.

"Good luck at not getting eaten, by the way"

"I can handle myself" She said as she continued down the path a way before she pulled off the road.

"I'll be with her, I don't really want to see her killed" Roy said as he followed her.

"Guess it's just the two of us, then" I said to Marth as we dismounted and tied our horses to nearby trees.

"Should be fun" he said, taking brownish a bed roll off the side of his jet black horse.

"What's her name?" I could tell at first glance she was a gorgeous female.

"I just call her Alex" He said, picking up and throwing sticks into a pile in the center of the clearing.

"Nice name," I admitted carelessly.

"More or less" He shrugged. "So that Zahra, quite a catch, eh?" He continued

"Yeah, and how he got her was the weirdest thing I've ever seen!" I said only half sarcastically.

"How's that?"

"She was dressed up as a miner, and she had some platinum, actually. He stole it without her noticing, then she found out a bit down the road and came back and asked for a fight." Roy laughed "In the middle of the fight they kissed, and they've been inseparable since."

"That sounds a lot like Roy, I must say" He said, after a pause due only to his laughter.

"Yeah, yeah it does" I said, chuckling.

"So what was he like as a child?" I asked, actually curious.

"Ah, I don't really remember that much" He said, blankly staring into the darkness.

"Well tell me what you do"

"Alright" he said, still staring blankly "Well, when we were both about six, we got some sticks and started play-fighting with them" he continued "One day he told me to just take a swing at him. He didn't have a stick or anything." He paused "I hesitated, then I swung. Before I finished my swing, he had half the stick in his hand, the other half was still in my two." I laughed.

"I've got some other stories but I guess I'll save them for another time, I'm really tired." He said, laying down on his makeshift bed. I would have argued, but I as well was tired.

"Ok. Goodnight, then" I said, laying down on my bed, opposite the fire than his.

"Goodnight, Link"


End file.
